Patient Navigators for Children's Community Mental Health Services in High Poverty Urban Communities

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO · Mar 14, 2022

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is exploring a new way to help African American and Latinx children aged 5 to 12 years who are struggling with mental health issues in high poverty urban areas. The main goal is to see if having "navigators"—people who guide families through the mental health system—can make it easier for them to get the care they need. There are two types of navigators being tested: paraprofessional navigators who know the community well and case manager navigators who have formal training. The study will compare how effective each type is in helping families overcome barriers to accessing mental health services.

To be eligible for the study, children must be African American or Latinx, between 5 and 12 years old, and have a caregiver who is involved in their care. They should also be on the waitlist for outpatient mental health services at one of the participating agencies. If families decide to participate, they can expect to work closely with a navigator who will help them understand and access the services they need. This research aims to learn how best to support families in their mental health journey and could lead to important changes in how services are provided in the community.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • African American and Latinx Children between 0 and 14 years of age and their caregiver
• • New referrals on the waitlist for outpatient mental health services; families interested and engaged in social services from two state supported projects.
• • Have been screened and deemed appropriate for services at one of two social service participating community mental health agencies; or engaged in services via navigation projects
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • N/A